Proof British Soccer Fans Have the Best Style in 10 Photos

English soccer fans know how to dress, even if they haven't celebrated a big win for quite a while.

English soccer fans haven't seen a World Cup title since 1966, but they always show up with surprising looks that meld fashion, music, and, of course, soccer.

1 of 10

Mods, 1960s, anorakthing.com

The Mods

Active: Early '60s

These forward-looking youths adopted slim Italian styling, bangs, and modern Jazz, later getting into '60s rock and roll. They were more famous for battling their rocker rivals at Brighton Beach on the English seaside, they also battled it out in the terraces at soccer matches.

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Pink Floyd, 1968, pinkfloyd.com

The Hippies

Active: '60s-'70s

Yes, they were all about peace and love, but many couldn't shake their boyhood soccer fanaticism, including Pink Floyd's Roger Waters, a huge Arsenal fan.

3 of 10

Skinhead, 1980s, nickknight.com

The Skinheads

Active: Late '60s-Early '80s

The original skinheads merged mod style with workwear and a love for Jamaican reggae and soul music. Though later racist factions would arise, the original skinheads were a multiracial subculture that lived to dance, dress, and mix it up at soccer matches.

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The Sex Pistols, 1977, gahetna.nl

The Punks

Active: Late '70s-Early '80s

Much like their hippie enemies, punks pushed a counter cultural agenda, while still loving soccer. Lead singer John Lydon is a well-known Arsenal fan, while band mates Steve Jones and Paul Cook loved Chelsea, and original bassist Glen Matlock was an outspoken Queens Park Rangers supporter.

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Sham 69, 1975, sham69.com

The Herberts

Active: Mid '70s-Early '80s

The herberts eschewed the punks' fashion sense, opting for a more utilitarian street look, all while cheering on their favorite soccer clubs. Subcultural figureheads Sham 69 named themselves after graffiti celebrating the 1969 title win of Walton & Hersham F.C.

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The Specials, 1979, thespecials.com

The Rude Boys

Active: Late 70s-Early '80s

In the late '70s English rude boys looked back to the ska music and sharp dressing of Jamaica's original rude boy culture, updating both with mod and punk flourishes that suited the times. Bands like The Specials and Madness promoted racial unity, giving rise to the term Two Tone Ska, and garnering legions of soccer fans to their concerts.

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Soccer casual, early 1980s, gavinwatson.com

The Casuals

Active: '80s

Legend says the casuals emerged after Liverpool fans brought high end continental activewar back to the U.K. after traveling to Italy to support their club. This, coupled with a police crackdown on obviously wild skinhead fans, lead to a unique subculture that melded mod and skinhead denim, with jackets by Sergio Tacchini, Fila, and Stone Island.

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The Style Council, A Paris, polydor.co.uk

The French Ivy Leaguers

Active: Early '80s

Though merely a blip on the cultural radar, the French Ivey Leaguers might have been the best dresses soccer fans of all time. The scene emerged when Crystal Palace fan and former mod revivalist Paul Weller left his band The Jam to start The Style Council, all while looking across the English Channel at Paris to inspire American prep staples in slim European cuts. The look later influenced English designer Oliver Spencer.

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The Stone Roses frontman, Ian Brown, 1989, iantilton.com

The Baggies

Active: Late '80s-Early'90s

The baggy subculture emerged from Manchester's Hacienda nightclub scene, shedding New Wave garb and music for Acid House, ecstasy, and, what else, baggy jeans. Scene figureheads The Stone Roses were vocal supporters of the Manchester City club.

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Liam Gallgher, 2011, clashmusic.com

The Brit Poppers

Active: '90s

Brit Pop melded the best of mod, casual, and baggy styles to create an easy-wearing active look perfectly suited to the '90s. Brit Pop icons, the Gallagher brothers of Oasis fame, were likewise diehard Manchester City supporters, and once played chart rivals Blur in a comical celebrity soccer match.

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